Almonds
Almonds are seeds that come from the almond tree. They’re hard but sweet, and they’re used to create almond milk, almond oil, and even almonds . You might chop them up in salads. Try adding sliced almonds to vegetable sides like this green beans almondine. You can also candy almonds and use them to make crust or breading.
Cashew
Their buttery and salty taste makes it hard to stop popping cashews. They are often made into cashew milk and nut butter. Beyond snacking, cashews can also be added as a garnish to make a stir-fry, and I like to use them in my baked energy bars.
Pistachio
As one of the more rich-tasting nuts, pistachios make a great crust for seafood but lend themselves equally well to desserts (ehm, pistachio chai popsicles anyone?). They are green underneath their light brown shells, which aren’t meant to be eaten.
Nutritional profile: Per cup (123g): 24.80g protein, 55g fat, 33g carbohydrates, 13g fiber, 9g sugar, 603mg phosphorus, 1mg sodium, 1261mg potassium.
Walnut
At a distance, walnuts look like small pieces of peanut brittle, kind of wild and misshaped. They are soft with some crunch. You can use them to replace pine nuts in pesto, use them in dessert dishes like this pineapple upside cake, or chop them and add them to a beet salad or slaw.
Nutritional profile: Per cup (120g): 20g protein, 80g fat, 16g carbohydrates, 12g fiber, 0g sodium, and 80mg calcium.
Coconut
Coconuts conjure up images in the summertime, but once the “meat” is dried, there’s so much you can do with coconuts. You can buy coconut in flakes, desiccated, or shredded, and it comes both sweetened and unsweetened. Add it to salads, oatmeal, crusts, and baked goods like my coconut custard pie.
Hazelnuts
Probably best known as a part of the tasty twosome that make Nutella or Gianduja (a type of chocolate) so delicious, hazelnuts are small, round, and sweet. Like almonds and cashews, you can also ground hazelnuts to use in seafood crusts and baked goods. They’re crunchy and have thin brown skin that flakes off when cooked.
Dates (Khajoor)
Dates are sweet fruits that grow on the date palm tree, scientifically known as Phoenix dactylifera. These luscious fruits are native to regions like the Middle East and North Africa and have been prized for their rich flavor and numerous health benefits for centuries.
Fig (anjeer)
The fig is the edible fruit of Ficus carica, a species of small shrub in the flowering plant family Moraceae, native to the Mediterranean region, together with western and southern Asia. It has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world.
Fox nut (Makhana)
Fox nut also known as Makhana. It is a type of seed usually used all over Asia. Makhana is rich in antioxidants and micro nutrients and also helps slow the process of ageing and bear heart health, blood sugar content and helps in reducing weight.
Black raisins
They are also referred to as dried black grapes. Black Raisins are usually utilised for numerous Indian Deserts and Rice dishes and Kormas. They are consumed as a low calorie snack for people losing weight.
Golden Raisins
Golden Raisins also known as Sultana Raisins. These grapes are managed with a preservative known as sulphur dioxide to keep the colour lighter of the grapes. However, sultanas are generally smaller than raisins. They are sweeter, juicer, and have lighter colour than both raisins and currant beans.